Sherlock: The Next Generation

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Are you sure about this?”

“Absolutely certain. It’s going to be fine, Sherlock.” John Watson and Sherlock Holmes sat in the waiting room of the hospital, both nervous and excited at the same time. John found it strange to see Sherlock actually showing so many emotions at once in public. Normally he only softened up in the privacy of his partner’s company. Maybe their two years together, after being reunited post Reichenbach (which was still a touchy subject), had changed the Consulting Detective more than John had expected. After all it had been him, Sherlock, who had suggested this in the first place. Rather shocking John actually.

They were going to be Fathers. Sherlock and John. John and Sherlock. They were going to have children of their blood. John just sincerely hoped that they didn’t turn out as annoying and stubborn as Sherlock. That would mean just a bit of a handful when it came to looking after them.

“So we call the boy Hamish and the girl Molly?” Sherlock paused his pacing to breach the silence, bringing up the topic of names. Something that had been thoroughly debated in the past few days.

“We don’t know there’s going to be a boy and girl,” John sighed, rather exasperated. Ever since they had gotten the news that it was going to be twins Sherlock had been convinced that he was going to have a little boy and girl genius to train in his footsteps. John sincerely hoped that he would be happy with whatever gender they got. “Anyway, we’ll need to wait and see. The names have to suit them.”

“I guess.” Sherlock sat down beside John dramatically, sitting rather sloppily. John just rolled his eyes and moved over to rest his head on the tall man’s shoulder. Hoping he would calm down a moment to stay still.

“We’re going to be fathers, Sherlock,” he spoke quietly, still trying to come to term with that fact. He couldn’t believe it. That Sherlock had suggested it. Wanted it. He had expected to be in a quiet (well as quiet as it got) partnership with Sherlock for the rest of his life. Just the two of them. He had wanted children but didn’t think it was mutual.

“We agreed you were Papa and I was Daddy, right?” Sherlock fidgeted, many coloured eyes darting about. Yep, he was definitely nervous. John let a small smile slip over his lips.

“Yes we did. But we shall have to wait and see what they call us.” After that they fell into a long silence. John let his eyes fall closed and began to doze off; trying to not think about what awaited them. He had got no sleep the night before due to Sherlock keeping him up all night worrying. Sherlock worrying. John had thought it would be the other way. John was positively calm compared to Sherlock. Though he certainly didn’t feel it.

Still, might be a good idea to catch a bit of sleep. Best not to be over exhausted the first time he met his son.

“Mr Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson?” John jerked out of his slumber, blinking open his deep blue eyes groggily. Sherlock had already jumped up; yanking John with him due to the fact their fingers were intertwined. He practically sprinted over to the nurse standing at an open door. Their children had been born! John had never had butterflies in his stomach as intense as this. Not even when he admitted his true feeling to Sherlock.

“That’s us!” Sherlock exclaimed in his ever loud and announcing way as they reached the nurse. She gave them a suspicious glance before nodding.

“This way.” Without another word she headed down the corridor, obviously expecting them to follow. And follow Sherlock did, questions spewing from his mouth.

“Are our children ok? Are they healthy? What are their genders? What do they look like?” To these they gained nothing more than a cold silence. Talk about brilliant service. What a lovely nurse. John reminded himself never to work in this hospital.

They were lead into a small room with a few midwives bustling about and one doctor. On one side there were what seemed to be metal counters. It was beside these that the other people in the room were gathered. Around two babies. Boys. It was obvious they had been moved away from where they were born. After all the surrogate mother wouldn’t want them.

John heard them before he saw them. Well, at least one of them. He was bawling his lungs out, screaming at the top of his voice. Taking after Sherlock already. Sherlock was frowning, looking worried as they were told to stay where they were. After a few moments the little baby boys were carried over to them wrapped in blankets.

John took the one that wasn’t crying, holding the tiny infant carefully so he supported his head. His eyes were already open, the deepest blue of the oceans. They didn’t seem to be seeing anything, though. In fact his eyes were rather unfocused. This worried John all the more. He glanced over to Sherlock who had taken the crying baby. That one appeared slightly bigger and had stopped screaming the instance he had been taken into Sherlock’s arms. John smiled and moved closer to his partner.

“Their beautiful.” Sherlock nodded in agreement.

“They have your eyes,” he commented, nodding down to the baby John held.

“They have you hair,” John chuckled noting the single black curl sticking out of the bigger baby’s head. “And they look like they’re going to get your cheekbones.” Sherlock joined in with the laughter, quietening (what a shock) as the doctor in the room approached them.

“Doctor Watson, Mr Holmes,” he nodded to them both, glancing down at the babies. “Your sons seem incredibly healthy for being twins. Few births go with some kind of mishap or premature birth. These two were born a bit earlier than normal, admittedly, but they are only slightly smaller than the average. I think it is safe to say you can take them home today.” John began to profusely thank the doctor but was cut off.

“There is one concern. This one,” the doctor pointed to the one in John’s arms. “Does not have... perfectly normal eyesight. He is not blind, we do not believe, but he will most likely have problems in the future. Severe short-sightedness is a definite. Blindness is a possibility unless his eyes are protected.”

“Thank you, Doctor, we will make sure to look after that.” John nodded with a smile, glancing at Sherlock. As if they read each other’s minds they turned and left at the same time.

“So what do we name them?” Sherlock questioned as they walked through the corridors towards the exit. “I think this little one in my arms should be Hamish.”

“He certainly seems like a Hamish,” John agreed. “He has a Sherlock voice. How about Hamish Gregory Watson-Holmes for his full name?” Sherlock nodded with a smile. John then glanced down at the strangely silent boy with eyes staring into the distance that he held.

“Any ideas?” He looked at Sherlock who shook his head.

“None.”

“Wait... I think I’ve got one.” After a few moments John eventually spoke. “Martin.”

“I like it. James as a middle name.”

John grinned at Sherlock. “We’re fathers.”

“Indeed we are. Welcome to the world Hamish Gregory and Martin James Watson-Holmes.”